Display container for toys

ABSTRACT

An elongated sheet of fiberboard cut and scored for forming to a predetermined housing shape is folded around a base tray and an article resting on said tray to provide an open-sided display package. The fiberboard sheet is held in secure engagement with the base tray by means of lugs protruding from the ends of the base tray which are restrainably received within notches formed in end panels of the fiberboard housing sheet.

United States Patent [1 1 Lehner et al.

1 Nov. 12, 1974 DISPLAY CONTAINER FOR TOYS [75] Inventors: Alphonse C. Lehner, Minneapolis;

Paul E. Boeye, Mound, both of Minn.

[73] Assignee: Liberity Carton C0,, Minneapolis,

Minn.

[22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1972 21 Appl. No.1 294,314

[ 52] US. Cl 206/45.l4, 46/1 1, 206/4519, 206/4534, 229/40 [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/04, B65d 5/50, B65d 25/10 [581 Field of Search.... 46/11, 32; 206/4514, 45.19, 206/4531, 45.34, 46 AM; 229/8, 40

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,993,587 7/1961 Stone et a1 206/4519 3,057,466 10/1962 Blonder et a1. 206/4534 X 3,089,632 5/1963 Bartolucci 206/4519 X 3,352,477 11/1967 Eisenherg 229/40 3,497,057 2/1970 Trancr et a1... 206/4514 X 3,524,580 8/1970 Heyworth 229/40 3,533,503 10/1970 Wood i 206/46 AM X 3,576,253 4/1971 Keats 206/4514 Primary ExaminerWi11iam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Williamson, Bains & Moore [57] ABSTRACT An elongated sheet of fiberboard cut and scored for forming to a predetermined housing shape is folded around a base tray and an article resting on said tray to provide an open-sided display package. The fiberboard sheet is held in secure engagement with the base tray by means of lugs protruding from the ends of the base tray which are restrainably received within notches formed in end panels of the fiberboard hous' ing sheet.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1 DISPLAY CONTAINER FOR TOYS BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a packaging container-primarily, but not necessarily, intended to be used as a display package for toys. The container is particularly characterized by the interlocking combination of a wrap-around fiberboard housing with a base support tray for a toy or other article, the tray being molded plastic or other relatively rigid, non-fiberboard material. The fiberboard housing and base tray are combined in such a way as to securely hold an article in place during shipment and handling by purchasers, while rendering the toy or other article readily visible and accessible for examination by purchasers in retail stores.

These basic objectives are realized by forming a housing out of an elongated sheet of fiberboard material which is scored transversely at predetermined locations along its length to form a bottom panel, a pair of end panels and a top panel folded around the aforesaid base tray and an article resting thereon to provide an open-sided, generally rectangular shaped enclosure. The bottom panel of the fiberboard housing lies under the base tray and has a slot cut therein within which a lock tab formed on one free end of the fiberboard sheet is restrainably engaged to hold said fiberboard housing in its generally rectangular container shape.

The fiberboard housing and the base tray are held tightly together by means of protruding lugs on each end of the base tray which are restrainably received within notches formed in the end panels of the fiberboard housing sheet. As a particularly advantageous feature of the container, the end panels of the fiberboard housing are comprised of twoiwalls of fiberboard material with only the inner walls of the end panels having the aforesaid notches formed therein to receive the retention lugs on the base tray, whereby the lugs do not protrude all of the way through the fiberboard housing in an unattractive manner.

The base tray, which is preferably molded from plastic material, has retaining elements formed thereon which may take various locations and shaped to engage and retain an article, such as a toy, resting thereon. If the article being packaged and displayed is a toy having apair of wheels on each side thereof, the base tray is provided with a pair of recesses on each side within which the wheelsof the toy are received, and upstanding ribs positioned between each pair of wheel recesses on the tray are wedged between each pair of wheels of the toy in a friction fit to assist in holding the toy tightly within the display container.

A further beneficial aspect of the container resides in forming the aforesaid fiberboard housing from a single 7 sheet of elongated fiberboard material having a plurality of pairs of inwardly foldable flaps hingedly connected along the opposite longitudinal edges of at least the end panels and the top panel portions of the housing, with the flaps being of such a width that when each pair of flaps is folded inwardly to overlie said end panels and said top panel, the flaps substantially cover each of these panels to form double wall thicknesses there with, thereby providing added strength for the fiberboard housing.

"These and other objects and advantages of the display container disclosed herein will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top, plan view of the cut and scored fiberboard sheet from which the container housing is formed;

FIG. 2 is a top, plan view of the fiberboard sheet of FIG. I folded to an intermediate stage prior to final folding to a container shape;

FIG. 3 is a top, plan view of a base tray utilized in combination with the fiberboard housing sheet of .FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a front, perspective view of the display container with a toy held therein;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical section view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 4 and showing a portion of the tray and fiberboard housing;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical section view through the top of the housing and toy taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, bottom plan view of one end of the fiberboard housing; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical, section view of the base tray taken along lines 88 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, we have shown in FIG. 1 a sheet of corrugated, fiberboard material 1 cut and scored as required to form the container housing portion of this invention. Fiberboard sheet 1 is comprised of a plurality of panel sections, one of which is a bottom panel 2 having a pair of inwardly foldable flaps 4 and 5 hingedly attached to its opposed, longitudinal edges along fold lines 4a and 5a. Bottom panel 2 is cut transversely along a line 6 to receive a lock tab in a manner hereinafter 99 A crushed zone of bottom panel 2 adjacent to cut 6 and outlined in dotted lines indicated by reference numeral 8 permits displacement of bottom panel 2 along its cut edge 6 upon insertion of the lock tab 48 shown at the opposite end of the fiberboard sheet 1. A notch 10 cut in bottom panel 2 immediately in front of cut 6 facilitates the gripping of 1 A first transverse score line 12 separates bottom panel 2 from a first end panel 14 having a aperture 16 therein for a purpose explained below. A. pair of inwardly foldable flaps l8 and 19 are hingedly connected to end panel 14 along fold lines 18a and 19a, flaps 18 and 19 having notches 20 and 22 cut therein for a purpose hereinafter explained. Also cut in flaps l8 andl9 in the outer, longitudinal edges thereof are arcuate notches 24 and26 respectively which coincide with aperture 16 when flaps 18 and 19 are folded inwardly as shown in FIG. 2 to provide a continuous opening through both thicknesses of the end wall defined by panel 14 and inwardly folded flaps l8 and 19. A top panel 28 of fiberboard sheet 1 is separated from end panel 14 by a second, transverse score line 30, top panel 28 also having a pair of inwardly foldable flaps 32 and 33 hingedly connected to its opposed, longitudinal edges alongfold lines 32a and 33a. Arcuate notches 34 and 36 are cut in the outer edges of flaps 32 and 33, these notches being in transverse alignment so as to form a continuous aperture when flaps 32 and 33 are folded inwardly in overlying relation to top panel 28 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

A second end panel 38 is foldably connected to top panel 28 along a third transverse score line 40. A pair of inwardly foldable flaps 42 and 43 hingedly connected to end panel 38 along fold lines 42a and 43a are also provided with notches 44 and 46 similar to notches 20 and 22 in flaps 18 and 19 of the opposite end panel 14. These end panel notches serve a locking function in cooperation with a base tray described below. A lock tab 48 is foldably connected to end panel 38 along a transverse score line 50, lock tab 48 having retention notches 51 and 53 cut in its side edges.

Fiberboard sheet 1 is also cut along lines 52, 54, 56 and 58 in order to separate inwardly foldable flaps 18, 32, 42, 19, 33, and 43 from each other. As is illustrated in FIG. 2, all of these flaps are folded inwardly, together with flaps 4 and of bottom panel 2 in overlying relation to their respective base, end and top panels 2, 14, 28 and 38. Each of these flaps is held in the inwardly folded position shown in FIG. 2 by being glued to the panel section of fiberboard sheet 1 over which it is folded. In this manner, an elongated fiberboard member of double wall thickness for added strength and rigidity is formed.

In FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 8 we have shown a base tray which is utilized in combination with fiberboard sheet 1 to provide support and secure restraint of an article to be packaged and displayed. Tray 60 may be formed from various materials. We have found that it is quite satisfactory from a manufacturing and use standpoint to mold base tray 60 from high impact styrene. Tray 60 is comprised of a normally horizontally disposed top .surface 62 supported by downwardly depending side walls 64 and 66 and end walls 68 and 70. Formed on opposed end walls 68 and 70, and protruding outwardly therefrom are a plurality of retention lugs 72, 74, 76, and 78, two of these lugs being formed on each of the end walls of tray 60. In the center of tray 60 is an elongated recess 80 sized and shaped to receive the bottom surface of an article resting thereon; and in the case of and article such as a toy being housed within the display container, two pairs of recesses 82, 88 and 84, 86 are formed on each side of tray 60 to receive the wheels on each side of a toy. Upright retention ribs 90 and 92 positioned between each pair of recesses 82, 88 and 84, 86 are utilized as hereinafter explained to assist in bolding a toy or other wheeled article firmly in place. At the rear end of base tray 60 is a raised toy stop 94 which extends across a substantial portion of the width of tray 60 as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 8; and a second, raised stop 96 having a rear arcuate edge 98 is provided at the front of tray 60.

' In utilizing the above-described fiberboard housing sheet 1 and base tray 60 in combination as a display container, the article to be packaged and displayed is first placed on base tray 60 in restraining engagement with the support and retaining elements provided thereon. For illustrative purposes, we have shown in FIG. 4 a toy 100 resting upon base tray 60 within the display container of this invention. The particular toy has four wheels, two of which are shown in FIG. 4 and designated by reference numberals 102 and 103. Toy 100 is first placed upon base tray 60 with its wheels resting within circular recesses 82, 84, 86, and 88. The pull toy is forced down on top of tray 60 so as to firmly wedge upright ribs and 92 between each pair of wheels 102, 103. The friction fit of retention ribs 90 and 92 between each pair of wheels of the toy is facilitated by the yieldable nature of these plastic ribs, which assist in preventing the displacement of toy in either a horizontal or vertical direction when the container is being handled by a prospective purchaser of the toy. The bottom surface of toy 100 is received within elongated recess 80 of tray 60. Raised stops 94 and 96 are shaped to conform generally to the rear and front ends of the article being stored, such as toy 100, and are spaced apart a predetermined distance so that the toy may snugly fit between there two stops. Toy 100 illustrated in FIG. 4 has a head or cab 104 which extends above front stop 96 of tray 60, with the curved front end 106 of toy 1110 seated and restrained against curved edge 98 of front stop 96.

Next, elongated, fiberboard sheet 1 is wrapped around base tray 60 and toy 100 to the generally ractangular configuration shown in FIG. 4. This is accomplished by placing bottom panel 2 of fiberboard housing 1 under base tray 60 and then folding the successive, hinged panels 14, 28, and 38 along their interconnecting fold lines 12, 3t), and 40 with top panel 28 of housing 1 extending parallel to base panel 2 in spaced apart relation thereto so as to accommodate toy 100 therebetween. With housing sheet 1 folded to this configuration, opposed end panels 14 and 38 will extend generally vertically between top panel 28 and bottom panel 2. In order to secure housing sheet 1 in this generally rectangular configuration, lock tab 48 is folded along its fold line 50, extended under bottom panel 2 and inserted into the slot in bottom panel 2 defined by cut 6 in the locking arrangement shown in FIG. S.

Notches 51 and 53 on lock tab 48 engage the rear edge of slot 6 and assist in holding lock tab 48 securely in engagement with bottom panel 2. Lock tab 48 thus serves as a retaining means to tightly and securely hold fiberboard housing 1 in the container shape to which it is folded and formed, as shown in FIG. 4.

As fiberboard sheet 1 is wrapped around base tray 60, retention lugs 72, 74, 76, and 78 on base tray 60 are received within their respective, complimentary notches 46, 44, 20, and 22 of the opposed, upright end walls of fiberboard housing 1. It is to be noted that each of the upright end walls of the fiberboard housing is comprised of a double wall thickness of fiberboard segments with one end wall comprising end panel 14 and its overlying flaps 18, 19 and the other end wall being comprised of end panel 38 and its housing flaps 42, 43. By virtue of this arrangement, with only the inner wall segments comprised of the inwardly folded flaps l8, l9 and 42, 43 having receiving notches 20, 22 and 44, 46 cut therein, retention lugs 72, 74, 76, and 78 will be held within these inner wall segments and will not extend all of the way through the end walls of the fiberboard housing in a manner which would detract from the appearance of the display package. The locking engagement of lugs 72, 74, 76 and 78 within notches 20, 22, 44 and 46 of the fiberboard ousing provides a tight, interlocking relationship between the fiberboard housing 1 and plastic base tray 60.

The top and bottom walls of the fiberboard housing are also comprised of two thicknesses of fiberboard segments, the bottom wall being comprised of bottom panel 2 and its overlying, inwardly folded flaps 4 and 5. The top wall of fiberboard housing 1 is likewise comprised of top panel 23 and its inwardly folded flaps Elli, 33 to provide a double wall thickness. As noted above, arcuate notches 34 and 36 in the edges of flaps .Elil and. 33 cooperate to form a continuous, circular aperture shown in FlGS. 2 and 6. This aperture thus extends only through the inner wall segment of the top wall of fiberboard housing ll defined by inwardly folded flaps 32 and 33 and serves to restrainably receive an extending element or appendage on an article housed within the display container. For example, with respect to toy 100 shown in FIGS. 4 and b, the aperture formed by arcuate notches 3d and 3b is utilized to receive and retain an upwardly extending gripping lug lllfi on the removable top cover lid of the toy.

Also, with reference to FIG. d, it is to be noted that the through hole or aperture provided by aperture lb in end panel M and cooperating, arcuate notches 2d, 26 of inwardly pulled flaps l8, l) in overlying relation thereto serves to permit visual inspection of the front end of the packaged article. This viewing feature of the packaged article, coupled with the open sides of the wrap-around fiberboard housing afford substantially full viewing of the packaged article by prospective purchasers, and also permit examination of the toy or other article by touching it. This display container can be tipped in any direction or even turned upside down in the course of being handled in retail stores by purchasers without coming loose or falling out of the display container by reason of the tight engagement of the toy or other article with base tray fill and the retaining engagement of the top wall aperture with toy appendage 108. It is to be appreciated that an aperture similar to that formed by arcuate notches 341- and 36 could be provided in any other wall of the fiberboard housing, such as one of the end wall to receive and retain an extension element on an article housed within the container. The secure, cooperative engagement of the fiberboard housing l and base tray fill with each other is enhanced by inclining the end walls of the fiberboard housing as is illustrated with respect to end panel 38 and one of its inwardly folded flaps 43 in FIG. 5 to conform to the inclined contour of base tray end walls 68, 70 and the outer surfaces of raised stops 94 and 96. The end walls of fiberboard housing l, as well as the end walls 68, 741* and raised stops 9d, 9d of tray dd incline upwardly and inwardly in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

We contemplate that various changes can be made in the size, shape and materials of the display container disclosed herein, as well as in the particular types of articles housed within the container, without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim 1. A display container comprising:

an elongated, generally rectangular base tray having a top, article receiving surface with retaining means preformed thereon integrally therewith for direct engagement with an article to be housed within the container on top of said base tray;

an elongated fiberboard member having two, normally free, opposite ends wrapped around said tray to a generally rectangular shape to provide a housing open on two sides having a bottom wall underlying and coextensive with said article receiving surface of said base tray and a top wall spaced apart from said bottom wall to accommodate an article therebetween;

a pair of opposed end walls of said fiberboard housing extending between said top and bottom walls in secure restraining engagement with the opposite ends of said tray, and said end walls being hingedly connected to said top wall along fold lines; and

retaining means holding said elongated fiberboard member in said generally rectangular housin shape.

A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said retaining means holding said elongated fiberboard member in said rectangular housing shape comprises a lock tab on one, free end of said elongated fiberboard member restrainably. engaged within a slot in said bottom wall of said fiberboard member. 3. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said base tray has at least one lug on each end thereof protruding longitudinally from each end of the base tray in a direction coextensive with the longitudinal extent of the tray; and

each of said end walls of said fiberboard housing at least one notch therein adjacent its bottom end within which one of said lugs is restrainably received.

i. A display container as defined in claim 3 wherein:

at least said end walls of said fiberboard housing are comprised of two thicknesses of fiberboard segments with only the inner wall segment of each end wall having a through notch formed therein receiving said lugs on said base tray, whereby said lugs do not protrude all of the way through said housing. 5. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein:

at least said top wall of said housing is comprised of two thicknesses of fiberboard segments, the inner wall segment being formed by a pair of inwardly folded flaps hingedly connected along fold lines to opposed edges of an outer wall panel of said top wall, and said inwardly folding flaps having aligned notches formed in their edges which cooperate to form a continuous aperture in said inner wall seg ment of said top wall within which an appendage on an article contained within said housing on said base tray is restrainably received.

6. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said base tray has a pair of opposed end walls which incline upwardly and inwardly towards each other; and

said end walls of said fiberboard housing incline upwardly and inwardly in conforming relation to said tray end walls in secure engagement therewith.

=l= l =l =l= =4: 

1. A display container comprising: an elongated, generally rectangular base tray having a top, article receiving surface with retaining means preformed thereon integrally therewith for direct engagement with an article to be housed within the container on top of said base tray; an elongated fiberboard member having two, normally free, opposite ends wrapped around said tray to a generally rectangular shape to provide a housing open on two sides having a bottom wall underlying and coextensive with said article receiving surface of said base tray and a top wall spaced apart from said bottom wall to accommodate an article therebetween; a pair of opposed end walls of said fiberboard housing extending between said top and bottom walls in secure restraining engagement with the opposite ends of said tray, and said end walls being hingedly connected to said top wall along fold lines; and retaining means holding said elongated fiberboard member in said generally rectangular housing shape.
 2. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein: said retaining means holding said elongated fiberboard member in said rectangular housing shape comprises a lock tab on one, free end of said elongated fiberboard member restrainably engaged within a slot in said bottom wall of said fiberboard member.
 3. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein: said base tray has at least one lug on each end thereof protruding longitudinally from each end of the base tray in a direction coextensive with the longitudinal extent of the tray; and each of said end walls of said fiberboard housing has at least one notch therein adjacent its bottom end within which one of said lugs is restrainably received.
 4. A display container as defined in claim 3 wherein: at least said end walls of said fiberboard housing are comprised of two thicknesses of fiberboard segments with only the inner wall segment of each end wall having a through notch formed therein receiving said lugs on said base tray, whereby said lugs do not protrude all of the way through said housing.
 5. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein: at least said top wall of said housing is comprised of two thicknesses of fiberboard segments, the inner wall segment being formed by a pair of inwardly folded flaPs hingedly connected along fold lines to opposed edges of an outer wall panel of said top wall, and said inwardly folding flaps having aligned notches formed in their edges which cooperate to form a continuous aperture in said inner wall segment of said top wall within which an appendage on an article contained within said housing on said base tray is restrainably received.
 6. A display container as defined in claim 1 wherein: said base tray has a pair of opposed end walls which incline upwardly and inwardly towards each other; and said end walls of said fiberboard housing incline upwardly and inwardly in conforming relation to said tray end walls in secure engagement therewith. 